George Haigh, one of the owners of the shop, which now employs 50 people and was also runner-up with its Sausage Rolls, said: "We're very pleased. The winning pie was one of our stand pork pies, made with Yorkshire pork. It’s home-made on the premises, and the same as the ones we sell in store. We always use good quality ingredients – it’s important to use the very best pork."

Reserve champion was Hamlet’s Family Butcher, of Garstang, Preston, winner of the Traditional Pork Pie competition and the top Lancashire Pie. Owner Tim Hamlet was also buying livestock at the auction the same day, taking home the supreme champion lambs and showing he also believes in investing in quality meat.

The Speciality Pie category was won by D&A Gregory & Sons Butchers in Bacup, which also finished runner-up in the Traditional Stand Pie.

The best Sausage Roll came from Robinsons Farm Shop in Score Hill, Halifax, and Best Pair of Scotch Eggs from John Whiteside, of Whitesides Butchers in Colne, which also finished third in the Traditional Pork Pie category.

Keith Dyson Butchers, in Almondbury, Huddersfield, was runner-up in the Traditional Pork Pie class.

The pork pie contest was again sponsored by Keighley spice merchants TW Laycock and Sons, represented by director David Hempell.

A competition for cakes and other home-made produce was judged by last year’s fruit cake winner, Hazel Gamble, of Easingwold, alongside Jimmy Fitton.

Best fruit cake this year came from Philip Dolphin, of Skipton, who was also runner-up in the Victoria Sandwich Cake class, which was won by Cathy Cromatry, of Beamsley. Jill Perrings, of Rathmell, won Best Jar of Chutney, while Skipton’s Eileen Addyman produced the best bottle Best Sloe Gin, a new category this year.

In a standalone fodder hay competition, David Coates, of Coniston Cold, was both champion and reserve with his first prize-winning bales of seed hay and haylage,

As in past years, there was again a keynote charity element to the day, with pork pies, fruit cakes, Scotch eggs, sausage rolls and fodder – all donated by willing participants, plus generous donations by many others - auctioned off to a host of enthusiastic bidders.

This year’s two main beneficiaries are Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope and The Addington Fund, a registered farming charity.